Biography: I completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Newcastle University and I am currently studying a Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) at Charles Sturt University. I am really excited to have nearly completed a lifelong dream of being a high school Visual arts teacher and want to share my love of art and life with all students. My long term dream is to one day open a big school/retreat in the country where people of all ages can come and stay and learn about art, life, cooking and being happy and living a simple life in harmony with nature.

Artwork 1/3Connected 1. - Journey homeoil pastel, pen & ink on paper

Artwork 2/3Connected 2. - Journey homeoil pastel, pen & ink on paper

Artwork 3/3Connected 3. - Journey homeoil pastel, pen & ink on paper

I was very drawn to the idea of the home at Number 10 Busby street being the only home known to the Chifley’s. Growing up I moved around to many different places so I had a very different experience to the Chifley’s. I wanted to explore the notion of being connected. Wherever we travel to, whomever we meet on our journey we leave a piece of ourselves and make connections. I also wanted to express the traditional Indigenous belief of being connected and apart of Mother Earth. I was inspired by a quote by Chief Seattle “The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”

The lines within the artwork represent both the visible lines of the landscape in nature and the invisible lines of the interconnected journey, the unbreakable ties that bind us all together. The colours that were chosen represent the four main elements in nature, Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. All beings are very much a part of nature and nature is a part of us. Everything is connected and balanced.